


Lifemate

by Lil_Redhead



Series: Shirbert Drabble Collection [6]
Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, On Today's Episode of: Anne Shirley breaking societal norms, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 19:45:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17049431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_Redhead/pseuds/Lil_Redhead
Summary: “I’ve positively lost my mind and it is all Gilbert Blythe’s fault!"In which Anne finally proposes to Gilbert. A sequel to Queen Anne's Lace, but can be read as a standalone.





	Lifemate

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a sequel to Queen Anne's Lace, where Anne asks for the Lacroix's blessing, but it can also stand on its own. I hope you enjoy it!

Anne was not known for being patient. In fact, when she marched into the Green Gables kitchen and declared that she was taking the train into Charlottetown, Marilla only smiled and asked that she milk the cows before she left. Marilla had to give Anne credit where it was due, though, for she had expected Anne’s endurance to last much shorter than the two day that it did.

Only the night before had Anne knocked nervously on her door and fallen by her adopted mother’s bedside.

“Oh, Marilla, I need you to tell me to sleep, for I fear my brain will not turn off without a formal command,” she’d asked in the candlelight.

“Does this have anything to do with the meeting you had with the Lacroix’s today? Something to do with your interest in asking for young Gilbert’s hand?” Marilla asked, breaching her usual level headed tone in order to sneak in a little teasing. Anne squealed and planted her face into mattress beside Marilla’s legs.

“I’ve positively lost my mind and it is _all_ Gilbert Blythe’s fault!” she said dramatically, voice muffled by the quilts of the bed. Then, her face shot up, the picture of pure terror. “Why do you suppose he hasn’t he proposed yet? We’re running out of time before he moves back to Kingsport for medical school and then I’ll be surrounded by _children_ at Summerside for the next year so the timing would be _terrible._ Maybe he’s changed his mind about-”

“Anne, he has not changed his mind about wanting to be with you.”

Anne paused.

“You’re right, that’s absurd. But you can’t blame me for being apprehensive when I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting and wait-”

“You’ve only been romantically involved with him since the beginning of the summer. Perhaps he isn’t trying to rush you like…”

Anne’s gaze dropped to her hands gripping into her skirts. She knew exactly what Marilla was referring to, a time that had haunted for during the last two years of school. Perhaps she couldn’t be terribly angry at Gilbert for holding back his possible proposal after the one he’d given her during their second year of Redmond. She bit back a groan as she remembered it. It was so _romantic_ and for some reason, it hadn’t been enough for her to realize that she was crazy about him. And then there was the whole fiasco with Roy Gardner and then Gilbert taking ill...They’d been through so much already, and most of it had been her doing.

“Like the first time, yes I know. But I’m _ready_ now. I thought he could see that.”

“Perhaps it’s best that you’re taking matters into your own hands, then.” Anne leaned back in her chair, not appearing any less vexed than she had when she first crept into the room. Marilla gave her a gentle look, knowing exactly how to plant the seed. “You know, I’m quite surprised you haven’t just met him in Kingsport and had it over with.”

A spark flickered across Anne’s oceany eyes and Marilla knew that it was only a matter of time before the young girl packed a bag and planted herself on the morning train.

When morning came and the cows were milked, Anne came soaring down the stairs with her new carpet bag in her hands. She wore a pale green dress with small puffs in the translucent fabric and a cluster of white lilies-of-the-valley  in her hair. Marilla even swore that there might have been some cosmetic additions to the girl’s face - rouge on her pale cheeks and pomade on her lips. But Anne’s edges were refined, her eyes limpid, and her smile as lovely as summer daisies.

As she crossed the threshold of Green Gables, Anne couldn’t help but feel a little strange tug in her heart. Somehow she knew that the Anne who left her home that day would not be quite the same girl who’d return.

*

Gilbert had often said that if he were blindfolded and dropped into the middle of the Charlottetown Hospital, he’d know exactly where he was. As Anne left the hospital door close behind her, she suddenly understood. The whole building reeked of an odd mixture of illness and sterilization. People were everywhere - discussing, crying, moaning, hoping. It existed on a fast paced plane of existence where everything was life and death. It wasn’t who Gilbert was at all, and she was surprised he felt like he fit here at all.

Taking a deep breath, Anne reminded herself why she was here. She heard the clacking of her heels as she walked up to the secretary’s desk and offered a polite smile.

“Good morning, ma’am. I’m looking for Mr. Gilbert Blythe. He’s apprenticing under one of the resident doctors.”

“Mr. Blythe doesn’t take visitors from young women while he’s working,” the secretary stated, unimpressed.

“I’m sure he doesn’t, but it’s different because…” Anne paused and the secretary lifted a brow. _She_ knew why it was different, why should she have to explain it to a stranger?

“You aren’t the first young lady to call for him. He really isn’t to be disturbed while he’s with the doctor.”

Anne felt the supply of rage she felt in the pit of her stomach show a little bit on her face. Against her own growing frustrations - _How dare this woman assume I’m one of his flimsy admirers -_ she schooled her features and remained pleasant. If tactics weren’t working, then what would?

Fortunately she didn’t have to find out, because a familiar head of brown curls crossed the nearby hallway, sending her heart into a little thrill. Unable to call to him from such a distance, Anne willed him to look up at her. By some miracle, he did. His entire face, which had been contorted into a deep frown, brightened into moonshine when his eyes fell on her. He quickly excused himself and stumbled on lovesick feet over to the front desk.

Anne had to admire how slim he looked in his white medical jacket and the stethoscope around his neck as he approached her. When he was close enough to touch, his head jerked forward a little, like he wanted to kiss her, but remembered where he was. He settled on taking her hand in his own.

“You’re a sight for very sore eyes, sweetheart,” he said warmly. Anne beamed up in response, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I see you’ve met Miss Jackson, our main floor receptionist. Miss Jackson, this is Anne Shirley-Cuthbert. ”

“My apologies, Mr. Blythe. I thought she was one of the Queens girls,”

Gilbert laughed.

“Not anymore. However, thank you for your diligence,” he replied. “I’ll be stepping outside if Doctor Carter asks about me. It’ll only take a second.”

Anne followed Gilbert as he led out one of the side doors to where a small bed of flowers was waiting outside. Hidden from the street by a fence and free from any wandering patients, the couple found themselves completely alone. Apparently that was enough for Gilbert, who swept Anne into his arms and captured her mouth with a searing kiss. She’d been burning for this man since she met him, but every time he kissed her like this, she felt like steam hitting a window and turning into liquid at his touch.

When he freed her mouth to press open-mouthed kisses under her jaw and on her neck, her eyes fell shut and he muttered, “You’re a sight in this dress, Anne. You’ll be my ruination.”

“That was -” her breath caught in her throat when he gave her collarbone a gentle nip, “the intention.”

A few moments later, he pulled back enough to simply hold her in his arms and let her warmth drain him of all the stress the day had bestowed upon him. He marveled at how she could make him so perfectly happy in a matter of seconds. When the comfortable silence had rested in the air for a few minutes, Anne ran a hand through the head of hair buried in her neck.

“So what’s this I hear about Queens girls.”

Gilbert laughed, his warmth breath causing butterflies to erupt on the surface of her skin.

“Some girls from Queens college caught wind that I was going to be in Charlottetown some days this summer. Now they come in at any given moment...”

“Asking for your attention?”

Gilbert pulled back at this and rubbed his thumb over her cheek where constellations of freckles were just waiting for his appreciation.

“My attention is clearly already taken. In fact, I expect that I will be distracted by my own beautiful girl well into the unforeseeable future.”

Anne wanted to say _Forever?_ \- but then stopped herself and bit her lip. _Soon. Not yet._

“Not that I’m not positively delighted to see you, but was there a reason for this unexpected surprise? Is everything alright at home?”

“No no, everything is marvelous at home. I just wanted to see you.”

“So you bought a train ticket and came all this way, even though I was due to arrive home on the seven o’clock train?” Gilbert pressed his lips to her cheek, lingering there to nuzzle against her nose, then pulled back. “No, there’s something else, isn’t there, Anne-girl?”

“Yes,” Anne breathed out. “But it can wait until you’re finished here. I’ve brought plenty of reading material to keep me occupied. If I recall from our Queens days, there’s a quaint little teashop cross across the way. Come collect me when you’ve finished your work here.”

“Oh, I’ll collect you alright,” Gilbert teased, tightening his grip. “I should be by shortly after three. You’ll be alright by yourself?”

“Of course,” Anne replied easily. Then, before she could lose her nerve, she rose up to her tiptoes and pressed a sweet kiss on his lips. His eyes were still closed, reveling in the taste of her when she pulled back. “I love you.”

Gilbert’s eyes turned to molten gold, shining and precious with affection. He gave one last smiling kiss to the back of her hand.

“I love you too. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

“Mhm,” Anne hummed dreamily. “Now get back in there and save some lives.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

*

Sitting in the small tea shop with afternoon sunlight warming her cheeks through the window, Anne was sure more than ever that she wanted to marry Gilbert. It wasn’t just that she was scandalously in love with him, though that did have much to do with it. But suddenly, she could picture this life for herself - sitting behind a typewriter, clicking eternal, exquisite words onto smooth parchment, waiting for her husband to sneak in behind her after a long day of healing to kiss her hair.

Lost in the comfort of her imaginings, she didn’t notice a broad-shouldered lad slip into the shop and move to stand at the corner of her quaint table.

“Come back down to earth, Anne-girl,” Gilbert teased lovingly. Anne jolted, nearly knocking over her cup of tea as she rose to her feet. A few scandalized jaws dropped as the unmarried woman pressed a kiss to Gilbert’s cheek and grabbed his hands.

“You’re early!”

“No, sweetheart, I’m just on time. Although, with such a greeting, you’d expect that we’ve been separated for three years, not three hours.”

“I can subdue my greetings in future if you prefer,” Anne said, flitting her eyelashes in mock innocence. A flash of something carnal flickered across Gilbert’s eyes so quickly that she wondered if she saw it at all. He gave her hand a squeeze and stepped closer.

“Don’t you dare.” Anne giggled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Now tell me, fair woman, why you have come to visit me today? I’ve been left in suspense for long enough.”

“You’ll have to wait just a little longer, my love. Just trust me. It’ll be worth it.”

“I trust you with my life, Anne,” Gilbert said seriously. “Wherever you lead, I’ll follow.”

And follow he did. Through the busy Charlottetown streets, off the beaten path, down into a grove of trees that looked just like the Blythe orchard in Avonlea. Each tree was topped with an orange crown, vibrant flames of transition. When Anne skipped ahead of Gilbert, spinning around in delight of the late autumn warmth, she blended into the falling leaves and the first hints of the sunset. It was impossible to see where her dryad soul began and ended until finally she came before him, a smile stretching across her freckled cheeks.

“Isn’t it lovely, Gil? I discovered this taste of Eden with Diana, and my soul has taken root like a tree. I thought this might be the perfect place to do this, away from the Avonlea gossips, and just _be_ with you. I want this place to always belong to us.”

“I love the sound of that,” Gilbert replied, heart dizzy the way it always was when she spoke into eternity. “But I still don’t understand. What did you bring me out here to do?”

A brave sweeping of wind blew past them, filling her skirt like a sail behind her and brushing loose strands of her hair against her cheeks. She smiled as if she knew perfectly what she was about to do, as if she had been born knowing.

Then she fell to one knee and Gilbert felt the air knock out of him.

“Gilbert, I haven’t always said or done the right things on the first try. But I believe this is one of those times I can make up for my mistakes and say exactly the right thing on the first try.”

She took a breath, and Gilbert watched some of her bravery dissolve into a few tears trickling down her cheek as she continued.

“Here are things that I know to be true without any doubt in my mind. I know that you are the best of men. You’re compassionate, daring, and intelligent. You meet people and you see the human person inside of them, and see their worth. You looked a homely red-headed orphan and loved what you saw. I know that you’re going to make the most amazing, dedicated doctor. But most of all, Gilbert Blythe, I know that I love you. I know that I’ve never loved _anyone_ besides you, and I wouldn’t want to. I know that I want to spend every one of my days as yours and hold you as mine, wherever that is, whatever that means. Marry me, Gilbert.”

He stood before her the barest soul of a man warmed from the corners of his being like a fire. Anne studied him carefully, each second of passing silence agony. His brows were tied together, an unreadable look in his eyes that was too far off for her to make sense of. His shoulders were rigid, and for a terrifying second it seemed like he might say no.

Then a tear slid down his cheek, then another and another.

“Gil, say something,” she whispered, terrified. Maybe this is what she deserved, after she put him through the same torment.

He opened his mouth slowly, then clamped it back shut. With trembling lips, he nodded.

“Yes,” he managed to say - half speech, half weeping. “Yes, Anne.”

Anne let out her own cry and rose from the ground to take him in her arms. He practically collapsed into her, holding her so that the space between their hearts had diminished to nothing. He was there, joyful face pressed into her hair and caressing the side of her head, murmuring words that were barely coherent in their lovesickness.

When they felt they could endure a small space separating them, Anne pulled back and pressed her forehead to his. She might’ve said something, had Gilbert not swept the distance between them to kiss her. Anne brought her fingers up to his cheeks and held him there, happy to meet each of his kisses with matched adoration and reverence.

“Were I a weaker man, I’d have collapsed under how much I love you,” he said, sounding quite intoxicated. Then he took a serious tone and clasped her hands tight, as if he were afraid she’d take back everything she’d just sworn. “It’ll be three years before I finish medical school.”

“I know.”

“Even then, I won’t be able to give you-”

“If I wanted sunbursts and diamond halls, Gil, I would’ve just became a millionaire and bought themself. But _you’re_ what I want, just you.”

With matching grins, the couple walked hand and hand toward where they came, but just before they could leave their beloved little orchard, Gilbert gasped.

“What is it?” Anne said nervously.

“I’ve completely forgotten! Oh, Anne, you do beat all.” He tugged on her hand to stop her from trekking any farther, then reached into his pocket. “ _This_ is what I came into town for in the first place. I’d have given it to you tonight, but _someone_ beat me to the punch.”

In his palm was a small velvet box.

“Is this…?” she choked out quietly.

“Open it, sweetheart.”

She did, and fought back another onslaught of tears when she laid eyes on a delicate ring. It was made of a warm golden color with a simple pearl embedded in the center. Two tiny diamonds were placed beside it, catching glimmers of the sun above their heads.

“Oh, Gilbert, it’s perfect. I’ve always _dreamed_ of a pearl troth ring, but I expected I’d have to settle on a diamond ring. You...you came here for this? You’ve been planning to-” She cut herself off with a groan, which Gilbert happily chuckled at. “I am truly the most impatient person ever to grace Prince Edward Island. Tell me, did I foil a perfectly wonderful proposal?”

“Not nearly as wonderful or beautiful as the one you gifted me, Anne-girl. I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Still,” Anne began a bit coquettishly. “If you wanted to whisper your planned speech into my ear on the train ride home, I would not object in the slightest. In fact, it might make me inclined to marry you.”

They both laughed at this, quieting their joy into smiles when Gilbert slid the ring onto her finger where it looked like it had belonged there for all its existence. Then, hand in hand, they left their orchard and entered into the new days of their reign as king and queen of the realm of bridal love.

**Author's Note:**

> Come chat with me on tumblr! - @royalcordelia ♥


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